Grenade launcher

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a grenade launcher that can be loaded and unloaded from both sides, prevents sag during these loading/unloading, fully covers the ammunition so that shooters are safe while shooting and avoids potential drop of ammunition when loading.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a grenade launcher that can be loaded and unloaded from both sides, prevents drop of the barrel during these loading/unloading, fully covers the ammunition so that shooters are safe while shooting and avoids potential drop of ammunition when loading.

PRIOR ART

The existing models feature longitudinal sliding, right and/or left unidirectional and/or bidirectional opening pivoted on a single rotation center, yet it is regarded as disadvantageous that users lose aiming position and change the gun-holding position while loading/unloading the models with longitudinal sliding mechanism, since this involves a lot of forward movement.

Grenade launchers with unidirectional opening mechanism cause difficulties, and as a result a weakness while using for the users that must use the non-dominant hand.

As the cartridge case is partially uncovered while shooting on the grenade launchers with unidirectional right and/or left lateral swing without the longitudinal sliding of the barrel, there may be safety issues due to potential gas entrapment and cartridge case splitting. In addition, there may be a jamming during the centering on said grenade launchers due to a 5-8 mm downward drop as a result of a loosening at the connection point as there is no second bearing while the barrel is open on right or left side. Also, the loaded ammunition is secured with tight-fitting method. Moreover, it is not possible to close with said slot with zero gap to make the ammunition chamber loadable, and there is some gap left intentionally. These gaps may damage the users while shooting. Another problem is possibility that tight-fitting ammunition may drop from the chamber and be ignited during loading before the gun is ready to be used. Because there are many ammunition manufacturers and they do not produce with standard dimensions, tight-fitting method presents a danger when ammunition is smaller than the barrel in dimension.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a grenade launcher that can be loaded/unloaded from both sides (ambidextrous) without requiring an extra gear or modification with either hand of a user, and avoids drop of the barrel during said loading/unloading thanks to the comprised rail and extractor system, fully covers the ammunition avoiding any harm to users during shooting, and prevents cartridges from dropping while loading the ammunition by means of the innovative extractor design it has.

LIST OF FIGURES

FIG. 1: Use of the invention with an infantry rifle

FIG. 2: Use the invention with a separate stock

FIG. 3: Top view of the barrel assembly

FIG. 4: B-B Cross sectional view—loaded grenade launcher

FIG. 5: Top view of the locking mechanism

FIG. 6: A-A Cross sectional view—locking mechanism

FIG. 7: Exploded view of the locking mechanism

FIG. 8: Barrel sleeve

FIG. 9: C-C Cross section—Barrel sleeve

FIG. 10: Top part

FIG. 11: Cross sectional view of the cartridge loaded barrel assembly FIG. 12: D Detail view—cartridge loaded barrel assembly

FIG. 13: Front view of the demounted grenade launcher

FIG. 14: Top view of the grenade launcher with the action opened to left side

FIG. 15: Top view of the grenade launcher with the barrel moved forward

FIG. 16: Top view of the grenade launcher with the barrel seated FIG. 17: Isometric view of the grenade launcher with the action opened to left side

FIG. 18: Isometric view of the bottom part

Corresponding names to the numbers stated on figures:

-   1. Top part

1.1. Formed structure

1.2. Spring shaped closed groove

1.3. Cocking arm

-   2. Bottom part

2.1. Cartridge headspace clearance

-   3. Barrel assembly -   4. Barrel sleeve

4.1. Circular hanging pivot

4.2. Circular bearing axle

4.3. Chamber

4.4. Cocking set

4.5. Centering recess

-   5. Barrel -   6. Barrel carrier support

6.1. Formed seat

-   7. Lock part -   8. Standalone stock assembly -   9. Ammunition

9.1. Ammunition case

9.2. Cartridge extractor groove

9.3. Cartridge rim

-   10. Discharging Extractor

10.1. Ball setscrew

-   11. Locking latch -   12. Cocking arm -   13. Centering setscrew -   14. Safety slide

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a grenade launcher comprising a design that can be loaded/unloaded from either right or left side. It comprises a top part (1), bottom part (2), barrel assembly (3), barrel sleeve (5), barrel carrier support (6), lock part (7), standalone stock assembly (8), ammunition (9), discharging extractor (10), locking latch (11), cocking arm (12), centering setscrew (13) and safety slide (14).

The barrel sleeve (4) within the barrel assembly (3) is screwed to the barrel carrier support (6) that is inside the top part (1). As the barrel assembly (3) moves forward through the barrel carrier support (6), the circular hanging pivot (4.1) located on the barrel sleeve (4) reaches the formed structure (1.1) and the forward move ends. Subsequently, by means of movement of the circular bearing axle (4.2), which is located on the top front side of the barrel sleeve (4), in the spring shaped closed groove (1.2) located on the top part (1), right and left movement is done and the action is limited. By this way, it is avoided that users reach ahead too much while loading/unloading in comparison to equivalent models as the barrel only moves forward just enough to open right or left side. In addition, during the movement of the barrel assembly (3), drop is avoided thanks to the connection to the barrel carrier support (6) with the screw located on the circular bearing axle (4.2), which is on the top front part on the barrel sleeve (4). Drop is the angular fall from the pivoting point of the barrel's ammunition loading side happening on the models where the movement is provided from a single pivoting point when the barrel is open on the right or left side. Problems experienced due to drop are failure to barrel alignment (centering), jamming of the barrel, uneasiness and jamming problems while cocking the action as a result of bending on connection points and loosening on the fasteners (bolt) used at pivoting centers over time. This issue is solved thanks to the barrel carrier support (6). With this mechanism, drop is prevented by means of a secondary hanging during forward-rearward, right or left way movement by making a secondary connection, except for the connection available on the pivoting center, from the top portion of the formed seat (6.1) located on the support using a secondary connection shaft (4.2) present on the barrel sleeve during the right and left side pivoting in comparison to equivalent models.

The grenade launcher has a design that avoids any unwanted movement of the barrel at forward-rearward, right-left or upward-downward positions when ready to fire or during firing. When the locking latches (11) located on the top part are depressed, the lock part (7) moves upward. The unlocked barrel assembly (3) provides the forward move of the barrel assembly (3) by pushing the cocking set (4.4) of the cocking arm (12) (FIG. 15). After pivoting to right or left side, loading or unloading can be done (FIG. 14). The barrel assembly (3) is then centered (aligned) by being engaged to the centering recess (4.5) of the centering setscrew (13). A properly centered re-cocking is ensured as the barrel assembly (3) is pulled rearwards and the cocking set (4.4) moves on the cocking arm (1.3) (FIG. 16). By this means, forward-rearward movement of the barrel is blocked with the lock part (7) located on the locking mechanism is engaged to the formed seat (6.1) present on the barrel carrier support (6) following the cocking of the action. In addition, left-right and upward-downward movement the barrel is blocked as the barrel sleeve (4) is seated to the cartridge headspace clearance (2.1) after cocking the action. By this way, any safety issue due to powder gas entrapment or primer piercing are avoided as the ammunition is fired in a totally closed system while shooting. Furthermore, any potential cartridge jam is prevented as cartridge cases (9.1) of the ammunition (9) are covered all around by the chamber (4.3) while shooting. Cartridge jam is an impaction where cartridge surface contacts the chamber nonuniformly and splaying of the cartridge case happens on the points at which there is no or insufficient contact to the chamber as a result of the fact that the outer diameter of ammunition cases tend to expand during the explosion inside the ammunition case while shooting. Problems arising from said jams are delays in re-loading of next cartridges as it hinders unloading the empty cases or said jams cause grenade launchers to be temporarily or permanently out of use in the field when jams are very frequent and extraction of the cartridges cannot be done during the war resulting in a safety issue. Moreover, front-rearward movement on the barrel assembly (3) while shooting is blocked by the lock part (7).

The discharging extractor (10) within the barrel assembly (3) prevents cartridges from dropping when the barrel is open when loading, and it also facilitates the extraction of the empty case after shooting by pushing it forward from the cartridge rim (9.3). The ball setscrew (10.1) placed into the hole (?) within the discharging extractor (10) blocks cartridges to drop from the barrel when action is open after the cartridge is loaded by engaging to the cartridge extractor groove (9.2) present on a cartridge. On some equivalent models, cartridges are hold with tight-fitting method. Taking into consideration that ammunition (9) may not stand firm in the chamber (4.3) as a result of dimensional differences on ammunition cases (9.1) due to different manufacturers, ball setscrew (10.1) system is adapted to the discharging extractor (10) so that any safety issue is avoided. In addition to this, the discharging extractor (10) presses on the cartridge rim (9.3) present on the ammunition case (9.1) and pushes the empty case forward facilitating the extraction after shooting is completed. Thus, it is provided that the shooting is carried on in a completely closed system by removing the need for a groove for extracting the ammunition case from our invention, which is present on equivalents.

Hereinafter, an entire description about how our invention will be operated by a user is provided. By this means, it is aimed to make the operation principle of our invention clearer.

When using standalone, our invention is connected to the stock assembly. By depressing the locking latches (11) on both sides, the barrel assembly (3) is moved forwards. The barrel assembly (3) is pivoted laterally to right or left side, and the ammunition (9) is loaded to the chamber (4.3). Thanks to the ball setscrew (10.1), the ammunition case (9.1) will not drop. The barrel assembly (3) is centered (aligned) after loading the ammunition, and centering setscrew (13) is seated. The barrel (3) is pulled back and cocking operation is completed. After the safety slide (14) is set to off position, shooting is done. To replace the fired (empty) ammunition (9), the safety slide (14) is moved to on position, locking latches (11) are depressed again and barrel assembly (4) is moved forwards. The empty case that moves slightly forward by means of the discharging extractor (10) is taken out manually, and a new ammunition (9) is placed into the chamber (4.3). The barrel assembly (3) is then aligned to centering position and cocking is completed by pulling the barrel assembly inwards once again. After the safety slide (14) is set to off position, shooting is done.

When using our invention by attaching to the Picatinny rail below a rifle, the locking latches (11) are depressed and the barrel assembly (4) moves forward. The barrel assembly (3) is pivoted laterally to right or left side, and the ammunition (9) is loaded to the chamber (4.3). Thanks to the ball setscrew (10.1), the ammunition case (9.1) will not drop. The barrel assembly (3) is centered (aligned) after loading the ammunition, and centering setscrew (13) is seated. The barrel (3) is pulled back and cocking operation is completed. After the safety slide (14) is set to off position, shooting is done. To replace the fired (empty) ammunition (9), the safety slide (14) is moved to on position, locking latches (11) are depressed again and barrel assembly (4) is moved forwards. The empty case that moves slightly forward by means of the discharging extractor (10) is taken out manually, and a new ammunition (9) is placed into the chamber (4.3). The barrel assembly (3) is then aligned to centering position and cocking is completed by pulling the barrel assembly inwards once again. After the safety slide (14) is set to off position, shooting is done. 

1. A grenade launcher comprising: a top part; a bottom part; a barrel assembly; a barrel sleeve; a barrel carrier support that moves the barrel assembly forwards; a lock part that blocks the forward-rearward movement of the barrel assembly while shooting; a discharging extractor that prevents ammunition from dropping when the barrel is open while loading, and facilitates the extraction of the empty case after shooting by pushing it forward from a cartridge rim present on an ammunition case, locking latch and centering setscrew parts.
 2. The grenade launcher of claim 1, wherein the top part comprises a formed structure, a spring shaped closed groove and a cocking arm.
 3. The grenade launcher of claim 1, wherein the bottom part comprises a cartridge headspace clearance where the barrel sleeve is seated after the grenade launcher is cocked in order to avoid left-right and upward-downward movement the barrel and any safety issues due to powder gas entrapment or primer piercing, as the ammunition is fired in a totally closed system while shooting.
 4. The grenade launcher of claim 2, wherein the barrel sleeve is located within the barrel assembly and connected to the barrel carrier support present inside the top part to avoid any drop at the barrel.
 5. The grenade launcher of claim 4, wherein the barrel sleeve comprises a circular hanging pivot that end the forward move by reaching the formed structure located within the top part on upper part.
 6. The grenade launcher of claim 5, wherein the barrel sleeve comprises a circular bearing axle on the top front side of said barrel sleeve that provides the right or left movement and limitation the movement of the barrel assembly by means of the movement of said circular bearing axle in the spring shaped closed groove.
 7. The grenade launcher of claim 6, wherein the barrel sleeve comprises a centering recess where the centering setscrew is seat in order to center (align) the barrel assembly.
 8. The grenade launcher of claim 1, wherein the barrel carrier support comprises a formed seat into which the lock part located on the locking mechanism is engaged in order to avoid forward-rearward movement of the barrel.
 9. The grenade launcher of claim 1, wherein the discharging extractor comprises a ball setscrew in order to avoid drop of the ammunition from the open barrel after loading by engaging to the cartridge extractor groove present on the cartridge case. 